A practice once largely associated with psychedelic drugs is now entering mainstream medicine as some patients begin “microdosing” GLP-1 medications commonly prescribed for diabetes and weight loss.
Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and similar treatments have surged in popularity in recent years, but rising costs and side effects have led some patients to experiment with smaller doses.
Internal medicine associate professor Catherine Hudson with LSU Health New Orleans says the trend initially began as a financial decision.
“People started microdosing these medications because they were very expensive to obtain and this was a way to make it stretch,” Hudson said.
While formal clinical trials specifically focused on microdosing GLP-1 medications remain limited, Hudson says many patients believe the lower doses are still helping.
“Anecdotally, patients say they’re seeing benefits,” she said. “Some people don’t want to lose a massive amount of weight, they just want modest results.”
Hudson says another reason smaller doses may gain popularity is the side effect profile associated with the medications.
“A step-up approach can help ease some of the gastrointestinal side effects that cause some people to stop treatment altogether,” she said.
Doctors are also beginning to question whether aggressive dosing is always necessary.
“There’s growing discussion within medicine about whether we need to push people to the highest doses if lower amounts are effective,” Hudson said.
Still, she cautions that many questions remain unanswered scientifically.
The conversation has also turned toward affordability and whether pharmaceutical companies may eventually offer lower-cost or lower-dose alternatives officially.
Hudson says public demand may ultimately influence those decisions.
“If patients want economic relief or more flexible dosing options, continuing to raise their voices will matter,” she said.
For now, doctors encourage patients interested in adjusting medication doses to work directly with their healthcare providers rather than experimenting on their own.
